We are all afraid. Afraid to speak, afraid to disappoint. Afraid for ourselves or for others. Afraid of suffering, changing, wounding, losing, winning. We are ashamed, we protect ourselves and keep quiet. We clamp down on our desires, our wants, our complexes, our suffering. Les Empêchés are nine characters who cannot manage to express themselves as openly as they would like because of the personal barriers within themselves, just like they are within us all.